HOW TO TRIUMPH OVER TEMPTATION
God's Answer to Your Deepest Needs - Part 6 of 7
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Temptation is the world's oldest problem. It's been around since Adam and Eve. We all have our weaknesses. It may be our Temper, eating to much, spending to much and a host of other things that I could name.
We all have certain areas in our lives that we need help to control. The good news is that God says, "I want to help you to gain control of those areas in your life. I want to help you overcome temptation."
1 Corinthians 10:13 (Good News) "Every temptation that comes your way is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps His promises and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. At the time you are tempted he will give you the strength to endure it and so provide you with a way out." That’s a great promise!
This tells us a lot about temptation. Temptation is normal. It happens to everybody. We're all in the same boat. Everybody's tempted.
If there are common temptations, there are common solutions. People say, "I was in a situation and I just had no choice." Oh, yeah? God says you can overcome it regardless of what the temptation is. God has given us everything that we need to over come temptation. If we yield to temptation it is because we choose to.
So, how does God deliver us from evil? Five ways:
1. Refuse to be intimidated. Don't let the devil bully you around.
2. Ask for God's help.
3. Refocus your attention. Put your mind on something else. Change your mind.
4. Talk about your struggle with a friend.
5. Resist the tempter. Not the temptation but the tempter.
1. REFUSE TO BE INTIMIDATED
Ephesians 6:10-11 "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
There are three common reactions when we're tempted:
1. Alarm. How could I think such a thing?
2. Frustration. I keep falling in the same area.
3. Discouragement. I'm never going to be able to change.
Satan's number one strategy is to intimidate you. It is not a sin to be tempted. It's a sin to give in to temptation. The Bible says even Jesus was tempted. The Bible says “He was tempted in all points as we, yet He sinned not.” It has been said you cannot keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.
You can't keep all the thoughts the devil wants to put in your mind out of your mind but you can reject them. Have you ever been praying and all of a sudden the most off the wall idea from left field comes into your mind?
You think you must not even be a Christian.Where did you get an idea like that? The devil. You don't have to feel guilty about it. It's what you do with it that makes a difference. You'll never outgrow temptation. The closer you get to the Lord, the more the devil is going to work on you.
Notice the terminology here. “Be strong... mighty power... put on full armor... take your stand.” The Christian life is a battle. It is tough. The words used to describe the Christian life are words like fight, conquer, strive, battle, overcome, and victory. Satan wants to intimidate you. He wants you to feel guilty just for being tempted.
Sometimes the devil tries to make you feel guilty even before he tempts you. Don't be bullied by the devil. Refuse to be intimidated. The Bible says, “Walk in the Spirit and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.” It doesn't say you don't have temptations. It says you won't fulfill them.
Temptation simply means you're normal, not evil. You're human. It's part of life. Life is a test so don't be intimidated.
2. ASK FOR HELP FROM GOD
Psalm 50:15 “Call to me when trouble comes. I will save you and you will praise me.” This is what I call a microwave prayer. It's not a long conversation with God, it's kind of a ... "Help!" when you're being tempted. You don't have a long prayer, just “Help!”
The Bible is full of examples of people who cried out to God. David, Daniel, Peter, Paul. God provides help to all who asks.
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus was tempted just like we are. Isn't that amazing? Jesus was tempted just like us but He overcame it. Therefore He can help us overcome temptation.
Hebrews 2:18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted.
How good it is to know that Christ was fully man, experiencing what we experience and is able to provide the comfort and help we need. “Come boldly, with no hesitation.” Don't be intimidated. Raise your voice to God and cry, “Help me!”
3. REFOCUS YOUR ATTENTION
James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Temptation always begins with a thought. The battle always begins in your mind. Whatever gets your attention gets you. The key to overcoming temptation is refocusing your attention.
Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Holy thinking produces holy living.
If you're on a diet and start telling yourself, "I'm not hungry! I'm not hungry!" what are you focusing on the whole time you're saying that? Food. It has your attention. Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want. Your actions come from your attention. The more you think about something, the stronger it has a hold on you.
Temptation always comes in a three phrase process:
1. Attention -- Satan gets your attention.
2. Provocation -- Your emotions and feelings kick in.
3. Action
James says evil thoughts lead to evil actions. Here's the key to overcoming temptation: Simply refocus your attention on something else. Change channels. Shift your thoughts. Change your mind.
The key is to refocus your attention because whatever gets your attention, gets you.
Proverbs 4:23 “Be careful how you think. Your life is shaped by your thoughts”
Sometimes refocusing does mean leave the situation. Get up and turn the TV off. Change the channels. Walk away from the group that's telling the dirty jokes. If you don't want to get stung, run away from the bees. Sometimes you need to just get up and move physically, out of the situation. When you're tempted to blow up, maybe you just need to walk away for a little bit, cool down. But you need to refocus your attention.
4. REVEAL YOUR STRUGGLE TO A FRIEND
I'm not saying reveal it to everybody or to the whole world. You don't broadcast it. But have at least one person you can share your heart with and share your struggles with.
Ecclesiastes 5:9– 10 (Good News) “Two are better than one, because together, if one falls down the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls there is no one to help him up.”
He's saying we need each other. You need other Christians. Other Christians need you. You need to have at least one person in your life, that you can be absolutely gut level honest with and reveal your struggles to.
The truth is, hiding a hurt only intensifies it. It only makes it worse. When you stuff it back in the closet and say "I don't want anybody to ever know about that!" it becomes a bigger problem, bigger than it really is. Hiding a hurt only intensifies it.
Sometimes people come talk to me and say, "I've struggled with this for years but I've never told anybody about it until now." I know that at that point, they're going to experience great liberation and release and relief. The pressure and stress will be significantly reduced in their life the moment they share their struggle with somebody else.
James 5:16 “Admit your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” I want to be healed. I've got hurts in my life that I'd like to have healed, emotional hurts, mental hurts, physical hurts, and spiritual hurts. The Bible says confess our sins to each other, be open and transparent and honest. We're all in the same boat.
The big problem is that Satan wants you to think that your situation is unique and that you are alone, by yourself in this struggle. YOU ARE NOT!!!
It is so liberating when you're able to be honest and transparent because you start finding other people and you say, “I didn't realize that anybody else has this same feeling.” They do.
5. RESIST THE TEMPTER
Not the temptation, but the source behind the temptation. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
There are two parts and you need to do both: Submit to God and then resist the devil.
Submit to God. "I can't handle this on my own. This is out of control in my life. I'm struggling with it and keep falling and you knw it. You're not surprised. You're not shocked. You're not condemning me because Jesus was tempted in all points like as we yet He did not sin. You know the struggle." I give in to God.
Then resist the devil. How. “Fill your mind with God's word.” The antidote to temptation is truth. The Bible says, “You will know the truth and it will set you free.” It's interesting that when Jesus was tempted in the desert by the devil the three times, every time Jesus turned on the devil and said, “It is written” and He quoted a scripture.
All three times He quoted scripture. If Jesus did that to overcome temptation, then we ought to.
“The word of God is ours to use as a sword” The most effective thing you can do in your Christian life if you're really serious about growing and becoming all that God wants you to be is not just go to church and pray, -- all of those are great things and need to be done.
But the most effective thing you can do is memorize scripture. Memorize the word of God. Internalize it. Get it out of the Book and into your mind. The Bible is worthless unless it is inside of you.
Your Bible on a shelf at home has no effect at all when you're at work and the temptation comes. But if you get the Word of God out of the book and into your mind and into your heart, then you can use it when you're tempted.
How many verses will you know a year from now? None unless you make a choice to start memorizing today. Psalm 119:11 says “How can a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
Scripture memorization is not for pastors, it's for believers. (challenge)
Don't be intimidated. Temptation is going to come. Some of you, before you walk out of this building, but you'll have a choice. You can accept it and go over and over it in your mind or you can reject it by refocusing and say "God, help!
The Bible says your life is shaped by the way you think, so you think on good things. What goes in is what is going to come out. You resist the tempter by knowing the truth and the truth will set you free.
Let us Pray!!!
